Engineering Management Is Not The End

When did engineering become comfortable for you?

After three years? Five, ten? No matter the number, you started excelling in the role at some point. You knew exactly what to do and fell into a familiar routine.

Now, you’re asked about becoming a manager. Maybe this comes as a surprise to you. Maybe this is something you’ve thought about before.

Either way, this naturally causes you anxiety, as it does for many.

Unfortunately, the anxiety can become something more. Sometimes, it transforms into a barrier preventing you from stepping into and thriving in a new role.

But the secret to overcoming this barrier is simple: it’s knowing if management doesn’t work out, you can always return to the individual contributor path.

Think of this knowledge as a safety rope, just like the harnesses climbers use to scale a mountain.

To understand this mindset in more detail, we must start with the mountain itself.

Management is a mountain

Making it up a mountain doesn’t mean ignoring the challenges. It means looking them straight in the eye, admitting what they are, and preparing for them.

Engineering management requires the same steps.

So, acknowledge its challenges:

Transitioning to management takes you outside your comfort zone
You’re worried you’ll be less useful in general
You’re starting from the bottom…again
Your tech skills could become obsolete
Transitioning to a new role and not doing well puts your career and financial responsibilities at risk

Now, which ones drive your anxiety? Maybe all of them?

Again, this is natural. But you have what you need to face them.

Know the safety rope exists

The first rule of climbing a mountain is not dying.

This may sound obvious, but this is the reality, and it’s generally a good approach.

Imagine yourself on a challenging climb – there will likely come a moment when you feel powerless or weak. Maybe even both. Your mind might start spinning, fearing the worst. Anything can happen when you climb, after all.

This is what the safety rope is for. It’s a way to manage your fear and anxiety by removing the worst possible outcome. It catches you if you fall and lets you descend if the climb is too difficult. When you know there’s no chance of disaster, you’re free to move upward with confidence.

But now there’s a new problem, one that’s not apparent at first. It’s the temptation to use the safety rope to just give a good try and then turn around.

Commit to climbing the mountain

A safety rope is what you make of it. Having one doesn’t have to stop you from committing to reaching the mountain’s peak. You may not know how you’ll get there, when, or even if you will…

But you can still commit to giving it your best.

Once you commit, the safety rope takes on its proper role: a support to help you keep going.

In the same way, knowing you can go back to being an individual contributor lets you move forward with less worry. But it shouldn’t be an excuse to back out just because you can.

Remember, you came to the mountain to climb it. You said yes to management because you want to help other individual contributors and do more impactful work. You’ll face many challenges, but you can overcome them.

It’s similar to moving to another country. The whole point is that you want to do it, not just try. It doesn’t make sense to move somewhere for a couple weeks and then go back home – that’s a vacation. You have to give it time, even if there’s discomfort at the start.

But that shouldn’t stop you from having a contingency.

Prepare in case you need to use your safety rope

As a manager, you’re not likely to do a lot of coding tasks. In fact, you shouldn’t. This is your engineers’ job. Your focus should be on your team and process.

But working in parallel on a side project or two keeps your skills up in case you need to use your safety rope. You can even work on open-source projects. Your coding skills are still very much in demand, and this is a great way to not let anything go to waste while feeling fulfilled at the same time.

Your extra projects should never take bandwidth away from your professional duties, but there’s still a way for you to keep up your skills at work.

Lean on your team for help

Part of what I love about management is rethinking the role managers play on their teams.

It’s not just about coordinating tasks or logistics. It’s also about knowing your team inside and out, building relationships, and supporting them.

But never forget it goes both ways.

You won’t have time to code on the job, but you can learn from your team. You know how fast the industry moves, and it’s a lot to keep up with. So, let them help you.

A big part of this is building an environment where your engineers share what they learn with each other. For example, create a Slack channel for them to post new things they come across or have a set day of the week when they’re encouraged to share. Ask them if they’ve tried out a new tool or want to. Build excitement to explore new things and compare experiences. Let them know you’re excited to go on the journey with them.

This also has the benefit of humanizing yourself as a manager. You’re not just there to manage the team – you’re also there to build trust and relationships and improve office culture.

But don’t get frustrated if this doesn’t happen right away. You know how reluctant engineers are to communicate, and they’re already stressed from difficult work. It’ll be on you to lead the way, and being understanding is essential.

You’ll need to do the same for yourself as well.

It’s a journey, so be kind

Like all transitions, the one to management requires time to adjust. Even climbers who trained for weeks in advance will still find climbing challenging.

Things are going to be uncomfortable at the start (and beyond). But this is part of the journey, and it’s a necessary one.

Anyone who strives for excellence in anything knows how this feels. But there’s something special about accepting and conquering a challenge, no matter how long it takes or how much effort you put in.

It’s the same with taking on a management role.

Think about how long it can take to become a senior engineer. When you finally get there, you’re highly competent and able to accomplish whatever task faces you. But reaching that point wasn’t easy or short.

Management will be the same.

So, the best thing you can do is be kind to yourself.

Don’t live by unrealistic expectations. Don’t give in to imposter syndrome. These are all quick roads to burnout.

The great thing is that your fellow managers have been there and know exactly where you are and what you’re feeling. You don’t have to pretend to be incredibly skilled because they know you aren’t. So, reach out to them, and be open about where you need to grow. They had the same help, and many are willing to pass it on.

Then, one day, it’ll be your turn to do the same.

Ready to make the climb?

Then, I commend you. Becoming a manager is a big step, even with a safety rope.

But maybe this is not in your near future. Either way, I recommend learning what you can, following the advice your manager and others give you, and practicing the skills you need. It never hurts to get as much ahead as you can.

And one day, you’ll reach the peak.

The short version: you can climb up and down

Becoming a manager is difficult and causes anxiety. For many, these issues prevent them from ever making the leap.

However, a simple mindset can help you overcome them, which is knowing you can always return to the individual contributor path if management doesn’t work out.

Think of it like a safety rope while climbing a mountain. Your goal is to reach the peak, which isn’t easy no matter how much you’ve trained or prepared. But sometimes, after giving it every last bit of effort you have, you realize it’s not going to happen. Or maybe the situation turns bad on its own.

The safety rope lets you survive either scenario.

Until then, learn from other managers and practice. Work hard and be kind to yourself when you make mistakes.

Also, prepare in case you need your safety rope. Maintain your coding skills with side or open-source projects, and learn from your team about industry trends and new practices.

But keep trying to reach the peak, and one day you will.